Port Charlotte, FL – Sophomore lefthander
Michael Macchia (Middletown, NJ, Middletown North) tossed a complete-game two-hitter, striking out eight while freshman centerfielder
Philip Scott (Paulsboro, NJ, Paulsboro) belted a solo homer as Montclair State won its second straight downing Baldwin Wallace, 4-2 in the Snowbird Classic.
Keith Murphy (Point Pleasant, NJ, Point Pleasant Boro),
Lou Martini (Flemington, NJ, North Hunterdon) and
Cody Pace (Milltown, NJ, Spotswood) each drove in a run as the Red Hawks evened their record at 3-3 overall, 2-1 on their Florida trip. Montclair State faces Salem State on Wednesday at 11:00 am.
Macchia picked up his second win of the season (2-0) and his second career complete game as he retired 19 of 20 hitters after allowing a run in the first inning. He walked one and got plenty of help from the defense with eight fly ball outs and 10 ground ball outs.
The Yellow Jackets (4-3) struck for a run in the first when Mark Zimmerman reached on a one-out error and Kyle Chontos was hit by a pitch putting runners at first and second. Zimmerman was thrown out trying to steal third however Chontos scored when Eric Murphy singled into centerfield for a 1-0 Baldwin Wallace lead.
That would be all the Yellow Jackets would get over the next seven innings against Macchia, who settled in after the early score. Meanwhile, the Red Hawks put him on the winning side of the scoreboard in the third inning with three runs.
Anderson Rosa (Perth Amboy, NJ, Perth Amboy) and
Connor Abreu (Piscataway, NJ, Piscataway) opened the inning with back-to-back singles. Murphy doubled down the right field line tying the game at one and Martini put MSU in front with an RBI ground out. Pace followed with another ground out plating Murphy as Montclair State led 3-1.
The Red Hawks extended the lead to 4-1 in the sixth inning as Scott blasted a two-out, solo homer.
Macchia, who set down 13 consecutive hitters from the third to eighth innings, allowed an unearned run in the eighth innings and put a runner on with two outs in the ninth before ending the game with his eighth strikeouts.
Baldwin Wallace pitchers Tom Loeffler and Jon Capadona combined to allow six hits, striking out seven and walking one.